5 budget-boosting holiday tips to help you save your cash while you’re away

by The Sun

1st January 2017,10:12 am

Updated: 9th March 2017,3:43 pm

Make sure you save your pennies for ice creams while you’re away on your jollies – rather than getting stung before you’ve even made yourself comfortable on your sun lounger – with our handy tips on how to make your holiday cash go a little further.

Avoid airport prices

We’ve all done it – there’s always one essential item left behind that you must replace. But with a little planning beforehand, you will be able to resist the lure of splashing out at higher prices you’d find in the high street. Even when booking a late deal.

For travel accessories such as travel cushions and adaptor plugs, you can quite likely pick up exactly what you need from pound shops – and this Travel Adaptor website is a helpful tool in finding out what kind of plug you’ll need for a range of destinations.

Speak the local lingo, for free

The Google Translate app is available on Android and iPhone and is a nifty way to turn your phone into your own personal interpreter, without burning through costly data reserves while abroad.

Allowing users to download free language packs which can be accessed offline, just install before you go on your hols. There are 90 language options to choose from.

Airlines will often let you take kiddy car seats on board for free

For Family Holidays hiring child car seats can be pricey, adding as much as a tenner per day onto lease charges. However, many airlines permit you to check in a car seat and a pushchair at no extra cost and supplementary to your luggage allowance – although this can vary between operators and you should always check with your individual airline. Sometimes kids can even use their seats on the planes, too – although once again, this differs between different flight operators.

Is your old sun tan lotion still in date?

Staying safe in the glare of the sun can be an expensive business – understandably, nobody wants to take a chance on their loved ones’ comfort and health.

But sun cream can remain effective for up to two years after purchase, even though it may seem tempting to stock up with fresh protection for every holiday.

Simply check your lotion for a number on the back of the bottle, called the Period After Opening (PAO) number, which tells you how long you can keep using the cream within for.

Usually accompanied with an illustration that looks like a jar with an open lid, the number next to it is how many months after after opening the cream is still safe to use.

Store your lotion in a cool, dark place and avoid leaving it in direct sunlight when it’s in use to help save pounds on this absolute necessity for a sunny holiday.

Book your care hire before you say goodbye to Blighty

The old maxim of ‘the earlier the book up, the more you’ll save’ usually applies to holiday car hire, but you’ll need to work out what you may require way in advance, too.

Avoid forking out for pricey extras you may not need – such as Sat Navs – and search out potential discounts by comparing quotes on sites such as Kayak and Carrentals.co.uk.

Pay in euros on your credit and debit cards

Very often you’ll be presented with the option to pay in pounds or euros when using your plastic abroad – but when you choose pounds the vendor does the currency conversion and those rates may very well be unfavourable than if your bank does the sums.

Retailers still have the ability to set their own rates, but selecting euro when using a top credit card is more often than not your best option.

Get the fairest fare for airport parking

As with many services, the sooner you book up, the more you could save on parking your car at the airport while you’re away.

According to some retailers, you can knock up to 60% off just by reserving your space as close to only a day in advance. But play it safe and sort your parking as early as you can, particularly at peak holiday periods.

For instance, you can expect to pay nearly £200 for a week’s long stay parking at Heathrow – but by booking ahead, you can cross off £80 from your bill.